The government has decided to set up joint theatre command of the tri-services for better coordination among armed forces, according to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Government sources said the structure of the joint threatre command was still on the drawing board, awaiting a final response from all three services.

Speaking at a programme organised to commemorate ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ in Jammu on Sunday, Singh said the Kargil war had underlined the need to achieve self-reliance in the defence sector. So, "we have decided to set up joint theatre command (in the country)" he said.

He added “India has become a strong and confident nation, which is well-equipped to protect its people from anyone who tries to cast an evil eye”.

The government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has taken a series of steps to develop a self-reliant defence ecosystem that provides indigenous state-of-the-art weapons/ equipment to the Armed Forces for future wars.

The recent measures taken by the government had helped India emerge among the top 25 exporters of defence items. "We have set a target to achieve Rs 35,000 crore worth of exports by 2025 and become a top exporter in the times to come. Our aim is to make India a global superpower. This will be a fitting tribute to our fallen heroes, who made the supreme sacrifice while dreaming of an India which is strong, prosperous, self-reliant and victorious,” commented Singh.

On PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan, the senior BJP leader stated that these areas were illegally occupied by Pakistan and a resolution to free them had been unanimously passed in Parliament. Singh appreciated the support extended by the people of Jammu & Kashmir to the armed forces and their commitment to safeguard the interests of the nation like all other states.

A number of serving Armed Forces personnel as well as veterans, including Param Vir Chakra awardee Captain Bana Singh, were among those present at the function.

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